Thirty five years ago today Ian Curtis brought his life to an abrupt and premature end. Ian's suicide brought Joy Division to an end as well, though they found a way out eventually.
In 1978 Joy Division played live on Granada Reports, after Ian harangued Tony Wilson in a nightclub. This was Wilson's response, their first TV appearance. The editor's decision to superimpose footage of cars rushing along the Mancunian Way was inspired. In his autobiography Hooky recalls that each band member was given £2.50 by Rob Gretton to buy a new shirt for the occasion. Hooky also recalls being pissed off that Wilson said in his intro that the guitarist (Bernard) was from Salford ('a important difference') when he was a Salfordian as well and still lived there. It's the little things that stick in the memory.
God... thirty five years ago... I was 16 and completely utterly shocked by the news.. particularly by the fact that it was suicide which seemed too bizarre. People in bands didn't do that (or so it seemed to me at the time!)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great clip. I love those little snippets of background info you mention. Thoroughly enjoyed the BBC Four documentary that was on a couple of months ago.
Great performance.
ReplyDelete35 years.....crikey.
ReplyDeleteLong time gone, Mr. Curtis. It was such a blessing that New Order managed to crawl from the wreckage. My one bragging moment is that I did catch JD live and it was rather good.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great bit of footage of vintage Joy Division. 35 years, hard o believe...
ReplyDeleteWell that certainly brings my gray chin hairs into perspective. As a 16 year old, this was the first time that I felt a loss for someone I didn't know, but was currently effecting my life - in this case with his art. Less than seven months later another British musician would be lost to the world in horrific circumstances, but I had been through this "hero loss" so recently, that Lennon's death never had the same impact on me.
ReplyDeleteLong time. They seem both old and very contemporary
ReplyDeleteSwiss Adam
Was only listening to the Les Bains Douche version of this the other day. Christ, what astounding piece of music.
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